Katherine Clark handily defeats strong field of Democrats in 5th District primary

Katherine Clark can continue spreading her messages to Fifth Congressional District voters of fighting for women’s rights and standing up to Republican "extremists." In a field of seven, the Melrose state senator Tuesday won the Democratic primary with 32 percent of the vote. Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian finish...

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Posted Oct. 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 16, 2013 at 4:04 PM

By Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Posted Oct. 16, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 16, 2013 at 4:04 PM

» Social News

Katherine Clark can continue spreading her messages to Fifth Congressional District voters of fighting for women’s rights and standing up to Republican "extremists."

In a field of seven, the Melrose state senator Tuesday won the Democratic primary with 32 percent of the vote. Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian finished second with 22 percent and state Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, came in fifth with 13 percent, according to unofficial results from news partner WCVB-TV.

Clark approached a room full of waiting supporters at 10:30 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Council in Melrose.

“Tonight is not my victory, it’s your victory,” she said. “You are the ones that made this happen and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for all your help, all your friendships and all your support.”

Clark also bested state Sen. William Brownsberger, D-Belmont; former Lexington School Committee member Martin Long; Stoneham resident Paul John Maisano; and state Rep. Carl Sciortino, D-Medford.

She will face Frank Addivinola, who won the Republican primary, in the Dec. 10 general election. The winner of that election will fill the U.S. House seat, which has been vacant since Edward Markey left when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.

The district stretches from MetroWest east to Winthrop and north to Woburn. It includes Ashland, Holliston, Framingham, Natick, Southborough, Wayland, Weston, and most of Sudbury.

During the primary campaign, Clark emphasized the importance of pay equality for women, incremental increases in the minimum wage, protecting Social Security and Medicare and ensuring schools are adequately funded.

“We won tonight not just on the strength of our message, but on the passion of our messengers,” she said, followed by an eruption of applause.

Spilka, who captured many MetroWest towns easily but struggled in the eastern part of the district, said during the campaign she would fight with the same tenacity she has on Beacon Hill on Capitol Hill.

On Tuesday, she thanked supporters who made thousands of phone calls and knocked on many doors.

"We could not have had a better team working on this campaign. … From the bottom of my heart and soul, I just can’t help but say ‘Thank you,’" Spilka said to supporters gathered at Samba in Framingham.

“We did everything we could and that’s something that we should be proud of because whenever you take on any endeavor you should never ever regret it,” Koutoujian said to supporters at the Westin hotel in Waltham Tuesday night .

Brownsberger, who highlighted the improving the economy and responding to climate change during the campaign, said he and Clark are friends and he looks forward to working with her.

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"It didn't work out but live and learn and hopefully we made a contribution to the conversation because that is what we set out to do. We wanted to have an honest conversation about the issues, I think we did that," he said.

During the race, Sciortino highlighted what he called his progressive views, including fighting for a higher minimum wage in Massachusetts and the passage of the Transgender Equal Rights and Buffer Zone bills.

"They’re all very liberal so it was hard to choose one," Framingham voter Gary Holbrook-DeFeo said, although he said he was swayed by Sciortino’s folksy television ad featuring his father.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, who attended Clark's victory party, said she has been a terrific state lawmaker.

"She's a woman that will go to Washington and get things done," Coakley said. "...Tonight is not just a victory for Katherine, it's for a victory for Massachusetts. I think it's a victory for the country."

Natick resident Joanne Pratt said she voted for Clark, who she thinks is similar to and would work well with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

"Their primary goal is to (help) the people," she said.

Wayland’s Ellen Courchene, who was Koutoujian's guidance counselor when he was in school, said Saturday his experience working on health care and financial topics and committees when he served in the Legislature gives him the skills to succeed in Congress.

In Spilka’s hometown of Ashland, several voters Tuesday said they picked Spilka because of her long history in local politics and helping the town.

"It's all about where I live. I want someone who is going to take care of Ashland, and MetroWest, and then Massachusetts and, kind of, out from there," said Tamarah Annand.

Michelle Blair, of Southborough, also supported Spilka.

"She’s just a good person who has dedicated herself to public service for a long time," said Blair. "I think she would represent us well in Washington.